The Philippine Foreign Ministry sent a note Verbale to the Chinese Embassy last month after confirming a report from the U.S.-based center for Strategic and International Studies about China’s Arms buildup in the Spratlys.

The Philippines has decided to shelve planned upgrades to facilities on islands it controls, such as repairing an eroded runway, to avoid incurring China’s Wrath.

China Claims most of the South China sea, through which about $5 trillion of goods passes annually.